Earlier this year Stik hosted Stik Stamp, a nine day series of free workshops, at the Southbank Centre which saw 3,500 children lift one of six life-sized inked rubber stamps, the event was according to a rather beaming Stik, a massive success (mostly ignored by the so called arts media of course, I do believe we were the only ones to cover the event back in the Spring). Hand-carved by Stik and featuring his minimalist ‘stick man’ figure – onto 100% wove hemp paper. Jumping, stomping and stamping, each child created their own unique version of the monochrome print to take home. To continue the legacy of Stamp and support access to art making, Stik has now donated his original, signed artist’s proofs from his own archive to the Southbank Centre so that they can raise funds for their free programme during the Imagine Children’s Festival. The unique set of six artist’s proofs by Stik will feature in the Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale on Thursday 29 June.

The Southbank Centre’s Imagine Children’s Festival is a cross-arts programme featuring over 100 music, storytelling, comedy, dance, and visual arts events plus interactive activities. At the heart of the festival is a series of free activities that make up 50% of the programme, which is open to children from all backgrounds and abilities. To continue to offer extensive high-quality activities for free the Southbank Centre depends on the generosity of private donors and funders. Stik’s contribution will support the festival’s 2024 free programme which reaches thousands of children.

Artist Stik says: “I made these artist’s proof prints during the children’s workshop to capture the chaos and energy of the event. It has been an honour to work with the Southbank Centre and I hope this sale helps provide more free events at next year’s children’s festival.”

Ruth Hardie, Head of Public Programming at the Southbank Centre, says: “Imagine Children’s Festival provides the opportunity each year for 30,000 children and their families to experience free art activities. Stik Stamp was one of the most popular elements of our 2023 festival. Funds raised from Christie’s auction of Stik’s six prints will go towards Imagine’s vital free inclusive programme ensuring every child regardless of their background has a space to play, create art and express themselves.”

The auction, so we’re told “is a unique opportunity to purchase the only set of artist’s-proofs, made by the artist during the Stamp event at the Southbank Centre. Signed and numbered by Stik, each print is additionally marked with the studio insignia. The prints were made by stamping on hand-carved life-size rubber stamps, which were later destroyed. These six prints form part of an animation, which along with images of the prints made at the children’s workshop, were premiered at Glastonbury Festival in June 2023. They will be offered as a framed set with a low estimate of £15,000 at Christie’s in London as part of the Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale on Thursday 29 June”. Follow the auction here

Meanwhile a quick gathering of some of the hundreds of Stik photos we have hanging about here…. Do as always, click on an image rto see the whole thing or t orun the slide show…